1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to surfboards and more particularly to a cover for a through hole that is formed within the surfboard that is usable to mount a fin on the surfboard.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Surfboards are known to have between one and three fins mounted on the undersurface of the surfboard. The purpose of the fins are to provide control to the rider when the surfboard moves through water. In the past, these fins have been mounted permanently in conjunction with the board. This permanent type of mounting has certain disadvantages. One disadvantage is that when the board is being shipped or being carried from one location to another, the overall size of the surfboard is significantly increased. Elimination of the fin or fins will substantially reduce the size of the surfboard especially if it is contained within a surfboard carry bag. If the surfboard is carried on board an airplane, it is common for the carrier to charge a fee for each surfboard that is being carried. If the fin could be removed, in the same space that a single board would occupy, there could be placed within the carry bag three in number of surfboards. Generally, a single carry bag is only charged a fee for a single surfboard even though there are two or three in number of surfboards within the bag.
Additionally, the protrusion of the fin or fins substantially increases the possibility of damage to the surfboard when being transported. The fin can strike an object or an object can strike the fin which can result in the fin actually being broken or the mounting arrangement of the fin could be damaged.
Within recent years, it has been known to mount a surfboard fin in a removable manner in conjunction with a surfboard. A box is utilized which is imbedded within the board and then the fin is then mounted in conjunction with the box. This mounting permits removing of the fin during times of transporting of the surfboard. An advantage of mounting the fin in conjunction with a box imbedded within the surfboard is that if the box is made of an extended length, then the fin can be adjusted to different longitudinal positions within the box. Once an established longitudinal position is achieved, the fin is then fixed in position to the box by means of a fastener, such as a screw or bolt that is to be engageable from the top side of the surfboard by a tool being extended into the opening of the box. After the longitudinal position of the fin is established and the fin is then fixed in position, the opening into the box on the top side of the surfboard is open. This provides an open hole which is capable of being contacted by the surfboard rider's feet. This open hole, if not adequately deburred during installation, has somewhat sharp edges which can actually cause injury to the rider's feet. Additionally, as a rider maneuvers the surfboard, there is at times substantial force encountered between the surfboard rider's feet and the surfboard. It has been discovered that at times this force may be sufficient to cause separation to occur between the surfboard and the surfboard fin mounting box. Separation between the watertight fiberglass skin and the solid column of resin that surrounds the box will provide a point of entry for water to be absorbed by the foam core which will cause premature destruction of the surfboard. One of the purposes of the fiberglass skin is to prevent absorption of water by the foam core. If this separation gets severe enough, it can actually cause he surfboard mounting box to become dislodged from the surfboard thereby losing the mounting arrangement for the control fin that is to be mounted within the surfboard mounting box.